The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-12
HIGH LICENSE IN ILLINOIS.
What It Has Done for the State-Saioons Cut
Down, and Revenues Increased.

Down, and Revenues Increased.
New York Tribune
Harper high license law of Illinois, was cordially
greeted by ex Senator Warner Miller and other
prominent party leaders, who were DESTROYS to
hear about the practical workings OF high license.
which has now been in operation in Illinois about
four years. "In the first place. said Mr.. Harper
in discussing the matter. permit me to say that
our law is practically only the temperance plank
in your State platform carried out That was
the first thought which occurred to read
ing the work of your Saratoga convention Like
your plank our law, you know. combines the
features of local option with high license The
minimum tax is $500 on whisky and $3.50
beer, with the right, of course, of each commun-
ity to increase these much they please. or
to refuse to grant any license whatever"
DO any communities avail themselves Of
this right. or does uniform rate prevaila' was
asked.
I'm some of the counties the strictest prohibit
ton prevails. Others up the license fee
high as to make dealing in any kind of liquor
ty the tax on whisky is either 81, GOO or So, 200;
in another 81. 500 and in another fee of ST. 600 is
charged-practical prohibition. you see"
1t was easy to perceive that Mr.. Harper a
thorough believer in the efficacy ofthe law. He
became enthusiastic when he showed the bene-
fits derived from it. This is scarcely to be
dered at iEview of the facts and figures that ha
presented.
Merely dollars and cents" he continued,
cannot measure the benefits secured to the
people of Illinois by such law but its many
advantages and pecuniary results are certainly
astonishing. Take Chicago for example, where
I live. Under the old law, with a population of
40, 600, we had :, 500 saloons, from which we
derive revenue of about $500, 900. Now, with
over 7U0,0 900 inhabitants. have only 5000
saloons, from which we are receiving 81, 80. 900
in return. In Hyde Park. of our suburbs
there used to be PA rum and beer shops. paying
ST.. 600 in license fees To-day there are little
over half that number, but the revenue from
them is nearly so. 600. Not only this; crime has
also decreased. For the two years prior to the
enactment of the law there We're 1885 arrests In
Hyde Park, as against 67S made in the same
period since.
In Springfield the number Of saloons has
been reduced from T57 to l04. about SO per
cent, while the revenue has been increased from
about $l5 600 to s52, 900, PSI per cent PEORIA
before the law went into effect had 220 saloons.
pay ng revenue of S22. 600; since then with an
increased population and about half the number
of drinking places, the city receives nearly $780,
600, or nearly thrice as much as previously; and
the number of yearly arrests has been 194 less
than under the old regime.
Il might go IN this way for an hour
Statistics, numberless and incontrovertible,
could be added showing the incalcuable
benefits of the law 60 the people and to the
municipal corporations throughout the State;
but it is hardly necessary. In the State atlarge
the revenues derived from the enforcement of
the law have been increased from S700.060 TO
nearly IS. 600 000 thus TO this extent lessening
the burden of taxation other articles. The
number of saloons in Illinois has been cut down
from ls, 600 to less than 10000, despite the in
crease of population. By this new source Of
revenue the cities of the State-Chicago. Spring
field, Peoria. Quincy, Bloomington, Jackson
vile and others-have been enabled to pave
their streets. beautify the parks and surround
ings improve their police forces, general order
and sanitary conditions"
Judging from this, the likelihood of the law
being repealed is rather slight, is it notg"
s'Repeal Well, l should say not No sir
high license with US is solid as rock. It has
in reality taken the liquor question out of poll
tics in Illinois. Neither of the two great party
platforms that were formulated at Peoria con-
tains hint in favor of disturbing it or recon-
mending any modification amendment to it.
The Democratic party it is true. pronounced
against the principle of prohibition; yet such
was the force of public sentiment in favor of the
Harper law that the convention did not dare to
raise any objection to the present system of tax
ing and regulating the liquor traffic The law
has in my opinion, proved the entering wedge
that Will ultimately split the third party. Carter
Harrison, you know, attempted to fool with the
law and get back to the old ways again; but he
paid dearly for his effort, and I doubt il any
other politician of any consequence viii ever at
tempt to follow his example. The taxpayers
and the people generally. regardless of politics.
would bury him out of sight On the whole it
has proved one of the best laws ever passed in
the State, for the public in general and for the
Republican party. by which, with the assistance
of few Democrats, it was put into execution"